1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rotisserie ovens and, more specifically, to a rotisserie oven having a vertical oriented central heating section, a device for basting the item being cooked, and a method for automatically basting the item while roasting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rotisserie ovens for roasting or otherwise cooking a variety of meats are well known in the art. Such rotisserie ovens usually include a cooking chamber with at least one rotating rod for carrying the meat and at least one heating element. However, the interior and the heating elements of such rotisserie ovens are typically hard to clean because of the grease involved in the cooking process. Thus, prior art ovens require a relatively high maintenance. Another problem encountered with prior art rotisserie ovens is the difficulty to provide even heat distribution throughout the cooking chamber. Furthermore, prior art rotisserie ovens are not easy accessible for cleaning or maintenance.
In general, meat roasted in a prior art rotisserie oven tends to dry out while cooking. Thus, basting of the meat several times during the cooking process is necessary to preserve the juices and the flavor of the meat. The prior art discloses several devices for basting meat while roasting. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,723,010 issued to Goodell and U.S. Pat. No. 1,874,791 issued to Murff show means for circulating the basting liquid from the drip pan and discharging the liquid over the rotating meat. While Goodell uses spray heads mounted in a fixed position over the rotating meat to spray the basting liquid onto the meat; Murff shows a roasting pan in which the meat is rotatably supported within the pan and automatic circulation of the juices occurs so that the juices flow to an upper portion of the device and drop onto the meat. However, both designs require a separate spray head or roasting pan for each piece of meat and therefore, are relatively complicated, not easily adjustable, and require relatively high maintenance. Further, both devices only recycle the meat juices while omitting the possibility of adding any other basting fluid, such as flavored basting fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,083 issued to Caliva and U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,721 issued to Redhead show devices for basting meat while roasting without recycling the dripped meat juices. While Caliva uses a hollow, elongated, and cylindrical container with apertures that rotate over the roasting meat, Redhead fastens a basting dispenser directly to the meat. However, both of these devices also have several drawbacks. For example, both devices cannot be easily refilled during the roasting process, require a relatively high number of parts and thus, have a relatively high maintenance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,066 issued to Lents discloses an apparatus for basting and displaying food having a rotary carrousel, which periodically dips the food into a basting liquid to keep food warm and moist. However, the dipping of the food into the basting liquid can result in an over saturating of the meat with basting liquid and is not applicable for roasting meat in a typical rotisserie oven.
Therefore a need existed to provide a rotisserie oven of relatively low maintenance that has a relatively simple mechanical design with parts being easily accessible and removable for cleaning. A further need existed to provide a rotisserie oven with a central heating section to provide an even heat distribution throughout the cooking chamber.
A still further need existed to provide a rotisserie oven that includes means for basting the meat automatically during the roasting process with a basting fluid as well as its own juices, or a combination thereof, having a simple mechanical design to be relatively easy to use, non-clogging, refillable during the roasting process, easy to clean, low in maintenance, and relatively inexpensive.
A still further need existed to provide a rotisserie oven that includes means for basting the meat during the roasting process being independent from the shape, size, or count of the meat pieces to be roasted.
A still further need existed to provide a cabinet for use in connection with the rotisserie oven for added convenience, accessibility, and flexibility.